1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for sensing the image of a subject, modifying the image of the subject obtained by such image sensing and displaying the modified image, as well as to a digital still-video camera, an image data recording method and an image modification method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Owing to advances in computer hardware and software, it has become possible to digitize displayed images such as photographs and input the digital images to a computer. It is also possible to apply modification processing such as enlargement, reduction and rotation to all or part of an image thus input to the computer.
When all or part of a digital image is to be modified, the digital image is displayed on the display screen of the computer monitor and a keyboard and mouse are used to specify the limits of the image that is to be modified.
However, to someone not accustomed to operating a computer, it is still difficult to input the image to the computer and to specify the limits of the image to be modified.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to arrange it so that even someone not accustomed to operating a computer can obtain, with comparative ease, a modified image that is the result of modifying an image obtained by an image sensing operation.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing an image modification apparatus comprising image sensing means (an image sensing device) for sensing the image of a subject and outputting an image signal representing the image of the subject; a first display unit for displaying, on a display screen, the image of the subject represented by the image signal output by the image sensing means; data storage means (a data storage device) for storing modification target area data for deciding a modification target area; image modification means (an image modification device) for processing the image signal, which is output by the image sensing means, so as to modify an image displayed within the modification target area decided by the modification target area data that has been stored in the data storage means; and image display control means (an image display controller) for controlling the first display unit in such a manner that the image of the subject that includes the image modified by the image modification means is displayed on the display screen of the first display unit.
The first aspect of the present invention further provides a method suitable for implementing the image modification apparatus described above. Specifically, the method comprises the steps of sensing the image of a subject and obtaining an image signal representing the image of the subject; displaying, on a display screen of a first display unit, the image of the subject represented by the image signal obtained by the image sensing; storing modification target area data representing a modification target area; processing the image signal, which has been obtained by image sensing, so as to modify an image displayed within the modification target area decided by the modification target area data that has been stored; and displaying the image of the subject that includes the image modified by the image modification processing on the display screen of the first display unit.
The image modification apparatus may be a stationary apparatus of large size or a portable apparatus of small size, such as a digital still camera.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, the image of a subject is sensed and the subject image obtained by such sensing is displayed on the first display unit.
Modification target area data representing an area that is to be modified is stored in memory. An image signal representing the image of the subject is processed in such a manner that the image within the modification target area represented by the modification target data will be modified. The image of the subject inclusive of the modified image in the modification target area is displayed on the first display unit.
All or part of the image of the subject can be modified and displayed merely by moving the subject in conformity with the modification target area (if the user himself or herself is the subject, then the user moves); the user need not specify the limits of the image to be modified. In a case where the image modification apparatus can itself be moved with ease, as when the apparatus is a digital still camera, then all or a part of the image of the subject can be modified and displayed merely by moving the image modification apparatus in such a manner that the portion of the subject to be modified falls within the modification target area. Thus, even a person not accustomed to using a computer can simply obtain a modified image that is different from the image captured.
It is preferred that the modification target area be displayed in a form superimposed on the image of the subject at a predetermined position on the display screen of the first display unit. This clarifies the limits of the modification target area.
It is preferred that the modified image be printable.
It is permissible to adopt an arrangement in which it is possible to execute modification processing of a plurality of types. In such case it would be so arranged that one of the plurality of types of modification processing is designated, the designated modification processing is executed and the resulting image displayed.
In a case where it is possible to execute modification processing of a plurality of types, thumbnail images resulting from the plural types of modification processing may be displayed on a second display unit. While observing the thumbnail images resulting from the plural types of modification processing displayed on the second display unit, the user designates a desired processed thumbnail image, the image being displayed in the modification target area is subjected to modification processing identical with the modification processing that was applied to the designated thumbnail image, and the image of the subject inclusive of the modified image is displayed on the first display unit.
Since thumbnail images after modification processing are displayed on the second display unit, the user can designate the desired modification processing after ascertaining the condition of an image that has undergone modification processing. An arrangement may be adopted in which the first and second display units are realized by a single display unit, with the image of the subject inclusive of the part modified and a thumbnail image resulting from modification processing being displayed in different areas on the display screen of one and the same display unit.
The image of a subject before modification processing may be displayed on a third display unit.
Since the image of a subject after modification processing is displayed on the first display unit and the image of the subject before modification processing is displayed on the third display unit, the images of the subject before and after modification processing can be directly compared. It goes without saying that the first and third display units may be realized by a single display unit, with the images of the subject before and after modification processing being displayed in different areas on the display screen of one and the same display unit.
In a case where there are a plurality of the modification target areas, a modification target area may be designated and the image residing in the designated modification target area may be modified. It is possible to modify only a desired portion of the image of a subject. It goes without saying that the portions of the image of the subject residing in all of the modification target areas may be modified without a modification target area being designated.
The process through which an image is modified may be displayed. In such case modification processing can be stopped by applying a modification stop command during the course of image modification, and the modified image that prevailed when the modification stop command was applied can be displayed on the first display unit. This makes it possible to obtain an image having a desired state of modification.
It is permissible to provide a fourth display unit which displays a plurality of thumbnail images from among modified images that are in the process of undergoing modification. A plurality of images in the modification process can be verified, and an image being displayed in the modification target area can be subjected to processing identical with the modification processing that was applied to a desired thumbnail image among a plurality of thumbnail images being displayed on the fourth display unit. It goes without saying that the first and fourth display units may be realized by a single display unit, with the image of the subject inclusive of the modified part thereof and a plurality of thumbnail images indicative of the process of modification being displayed in different areas on the display screen of one and the same display unit.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a digital still camera comprising a viewfinder in which a modification target area appears; image sensing means (an image sensing device) for sensing the image of a subject observed through the viewfinder and outputting image data representing the image of the subject; data input means ( a data input device) for inputting data which specifies the modification target area; and recording control means (a recording controller) for recording, in associated form on a recording medium, the image data output by the image sensing means and the data specifying the modification target area input from the data input means.
The second aspect of the present invention further provides a method suited to the camera described above. The method comprises the steps of sensing the image of a subject observed through a viewfinder and obtaining image data representing the image of the subject; showing a modification target area in the viewfinder in a digital still camera that records the obtained image data on a recording medium; inputting data which specifies the modification target area shown in the viewfinder; and recording the input data specifying the modification target area on the recording medium in association with the image data.
The present invention further provides an apparatus for modifying the image of a subject based upon the image data and the data specifying the modification target area stored on the recording medium by the second aspect of the present invention.
More specifically, this apparatus comprises reading means (a reading device) for reading image data, which represents the image of a subject, and modification target area specifying data, which specifies a modification target area, from a recording medium on which the image data and the modification target area specifying data have been recorded; image modification means (an image modification device) for processing the image data so as to modify that part of the image of the subject, which is represented by the image data that has been read by the reading means, that lies within the modification target area represented by the modification target area specifying data that has been read by the reading means; and a display unit for displaying the image of the subject that includes the image modified by the image modification means.
A method suited to this apparatus also is provided. Specifically, the method comprises the steps of reading image data, which represents the image of a subject, and modification target area specifying data, which specifies a modification target area, from a recording medium on which the image data and the modification target area specifying data have been recorded in associated form; and processing the image data so as to modify that part of the image of the subject, which is represented by the image data, that lies within the modification target area represented by the modification target area specifying data.
The user enters modification target area specifying data which specifies a modification target area. While observing the modification target area appearing in the viewfinder, the user moves the camera or has the subject move in such a manner that the portion of the subject desired to be modified will fall within the modification target area.
The subject is photographed with the portion that is desired to be modified residing within the modification target area. The image data specifying the subject is recorded on a recording medium, together with the modification target area specifying data that has been entered by the user, in association with the modification target area specifying data. The modification target area specifying data may be data representing the modification target area per se or data specifying the data representing the modification target area.
The image data representing the image of the subject and the modification target area specifying data representing the modification target area are recording on the recording medium in associated form. The image data and modification target area specifying data are read from the recording medium on which they have been recorded, and that part of the subject image, which is represented by the image data, that resides in the modification target area represented by the modification target area specifying data is modified.
It is possible to modify the image of a subject merely by entering the modification target area specifying data, placing the part of the subject that is desired to be modified in the modification target area and performing photography. As a result, even an individual not accustomed to operating a computer is capable of obtaining, with comparative ease, a modified image that is different from the image captured by photography.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.